Ninja Theory Cancels Project Mara, Reassigns All Staff to Expand Hellblade Sequel Senua

Ninja Theory has cancelled Project Mara and reassigned its entire staff to Senua, the next game in the Hellblade series. Studio head Dom Matthews said he made the decision so that all 85 creatives at the Microsoft-owned studio could work together on the sequel.

"And with the fact that we have the entire team working on this game, I suspect some people might ask what's happened to Project Mara – I took the decision to not work on that any further," Matthews told Xbox Wire.

He added that the move lets the studio apply the full range of its talent and expertise to expand Senua beyond the scope of earlier entries. Ninja Theory first announced Project Mara in 2020. The game was described as a psychological horror title built around a "real-world and grounded representation of mental terror" drawn from lived experience accounts and research.

A teaser released at the time showed a realistic apartment interior and a close-up of a character presumed to be Mara. The studio had previously shifted resources away from another title. In 2021 it stopped development on Bleeding Edge, the 4v4 team-based melee combat game that had launched less than a year earlier.

Senua was unveiled during the Xbox Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest 2026. Engadget reported that the project has been in development since 2024. It is planned as a full action-adventure featuring expanded combat, additional puzzles, and greater freedom to explore than its predecessors.

"These decisions are never easy, but I did so to take the opportunity to have all of the talent and expertise in the studio, all 85 creatives, working together to realize the potential of what Senua can be," Matthews said.